


Blackmail

by Who_First



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-22
Updated: 2012-05-23
Packaged: 2017-10-29 23:28:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/325359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Who_First/pseuds/Who_First
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slade catches Tim spying</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Well, well.”

Tim froze as he felt the sword lay against his neck.

“The third Robin huh? Now what is an upstanding little vigilante doing spying here?”

Swallowing, Tim was trying really hard not to twitch, or move or do anything that might have the sword finish moving through his neck.

“Do you see all those villains down there? What do you think would happen if they saw you?”

 _Blood. Flying body parts. A long drawn out death._

“The Bats must be desperate, letting you spy all by yourself.”

Lips hovered above his ear, the extremely sharp sword still caressing his neck.

“The other two were never left alone.”

 _Yeah well maybe I’m better_.

“So the Batman is either desperate for this information or doesn’t have much use for you.”

 _Get to the point please_.

“Now.” Deathstroke was purring as he used the sword to pushed Tim’s head around and look at every one of the gathered villains. “What would you give me to let you pass that information on?”

Turning carefully, the damn sword was still hovering over his neck; Tim looked up at the masked assassin.

“What do you want?”

“Well very to the point Timothy Drake. Grayson would have tried fighting before anything else.”

“That would alert the other villains below which would negate any information I might have discovered.” Tim pointed out calmly. It was true, if the villains below knew Robin had been spying on them all the plans would be abandoned. And he would be dead. Which would be annoying.

“Smart boy. More of a thinker.” The blade twisted cutting into the unprotected part of Tim’s neck. “Pretty words Drake. Move.”

He did, quietly and quickly, stepping away from the edge of the upper platform, moving where the sword pushed him. Deathstroke guiding Tim until they were both lost in the upper levels shadows. Tim knew he’d done it so that they’d have to be tripped over before anyone saw them. As long as they stayed silent.

“Strip.”

Tim froze in the darkness.

“You can keep your mask.” Slade purred and Tim could see his sharp teeth gleam against black shadows. “I already know what you look like.”

Tim shuddered against the wall as the sword changing directions and bit into his uniform.

“I want your word Deathstroke.”

“Not trusting? You do everything I say and I will make sure that you leave intact and undiscovered with you precious information.”

 _I’ve already been discovered you just don’t care if I get the others sent back to whatever jails they escaped from_.

“Accepted.” Tim hesitated only a half second. Dick talked about everyone he knew, and he’d always said the Deathstroke, Slade, would keep his word.

“Good. Strip.”

Tim pulled off his gloves first, keeping his eyes on the grinning mercenary, carefully dropping them in a pile that he’d hopefully retrieve later. The boots were next, followed by his belt and tunic, before hesitating at his pants.

“Scared Drake?”

“No.” Tim moved his eyes away from Slade’s bright grin, he couldn’t see much in the shadows so Slade should’ either right? But the pants came off way to quickly for Tim’s sense of mind.

“Not bad Drake. You’re tiny but at least you have some muscle.”

Flushing pink Tim looked away. Family calling him tiny was one thing, killers for hire was another. So he stood, shivering in the darkness, and waited for Slade’s instructions.

“Such a good little bird. Trainable.”

Tim jumped as the heavy gloved hand came down on his shoulder. Then he was shoved into the wall, held in place with one hand, the other trailing down his spine.

“Do I need to warn you about noise?”

Tim shook his head, biting at his lower lip, as Slade pressed against his back. Driving him into the wall, one large hand wrapping around his neck, the other still petting down his spine, teeth settling against his ear.

“Make noise at your own risk Drake. I don’t care if the information gets out or not.” Slade laughed in his ear. “Can’t say the same for your friends down there.”

 _I’ll be quiet._

It was mouthed against the wall, Tim too nervous of saying anything a loud now. Yes he knew that if Slade was talking and now one came to see he’d be safe too… but he was naked against the wall, unable to see what exactly Slade was doing until the fingers against his spine vanished, coming back after a minute.

Coming back cold, and _wet_ , and Tim stiffened in shock but that didn’t stop Slade’s strong fingers from penetrating, stabbing forwards inside him.

“You’re very tight Drake, am I your first?”

 _Shut up, shut up, shut up, it hurts it_..

“Do you feel yourself tightening? Dragging me in.”

Slade’s finger were to deep, _too fucking deep stop it!_ , Tim tried bracing himself against the wall, but Slade was jabbing something that _felt so good_ and he was falling. His knees cracked against the wood floor as he crashed down, sliding off Slade’s fingers.

“Stay still Drake.”

Tim whimpered deep in his throat as he heard Slade moving behind him, listening to zippers and clothing moving aside, _letting Slade free_.

It was still gloved hands that returned to petting his back. Petting Tim, comforting him like he was an animal needed to handle gently. _You can’t fool me_. Tim twitched again at the touch against his ass. He knew it was coming but that felt _so much larger_ than the mercenary’s fingers.

Both of his wrists were grabbed, Tim falling forwards as they were pulled behind his back, face crashing against the floor, held in place against his back by one of Slade’s hands. The other ruffled his hairs before stroking down his spine, over his captured hands, and then the hand was gone and Slade was pushing in.

 _Stop oh god stop_ , Tim felt the coppery tang of blood filling his mouth before he even knew that he’d bitten through his bottom lip. It didn’t hurt so much but Slade was _violating_ him and it felt _good_.

“I would like to hear you scream…”

 _No, no, no, can’t make noise_.

Slade was pushing harder, and Tim felt filled, as the mercenary draped along his back to purr into his ear. Hands still trapped against his back, under the huge man, as Slade’s pulled Tim up against him. Further impaling Tim on his cock.

“But you seem to be enjoying it.”

Tim wanted to scream at him to stop talking, _because it feels so good_ , all raw and everything just right as Slade started moving inside him. Slamming against his prostate and causing the pleasure to streak through Tim. Every nerve ending singing the killer’s praises.

Slade wouldn’t need to hold him down now, Tim was too busy trying to push back against the intruder, and he was gasping little breaths with every wonderful jab. He felt sick at how good it was, because Slade was moving faster, harder and Tim wanted to beg for more even as he stretched his hips apart, welcoming the harder thrusts.

Tim mewled, blood filling his mouth, as the harder thrusts pushed him over the edge and he was cumming hard enough that his vision was darker than the shadows and all  he couldfeel was Slade pounding away.

His face met the floor again as Slade shoved him down, hand gripping Tim’s neck, other hand pulling Tim’s hips up to meet the last thrusts hard enough that he could feel sensitive skin start pulling apart, only to be horribly cooled as Slade spilled inside him.

Tim fell to the floor as Slade pulled away, all his muscles limp and shaky, tears streaming down his face, gasping for breath.

“Get dressed or I’ll carry you out naked.”

Shaking hands grabbed his pants, fear gave him forcing the pants over his hips, tasting his blood in his mouth as moved. Still Slade only gave him time to grab pull his pants on before grabbing Tim, pulling him away from his utility belt, dragging the boy towards the exit.

The truck was huge, not that Slade gave Tim much time to see where they were going, opening the passenger side door and shoving the vigilante in.

Slade strode along the driver’s seat while Tim slumped in his seat and watched with huge eyes behind his mask. A pen and paper was dropped into Tim’s lap, the boy twitching in surprise.

“You should write down your information.” Slade’s mouth quirked into a grin, “Hate for you to forget anything.”

It was a long ride, one Tim really wished would end already, but when it did….well at this point Tim wasn’t all that surprised that Slade had driven him back to the manor.

The other shoe dropped as Tim pulled on his door, that wouldn’t open.

“What are you doing?” Fear spiked and Tim could see Slade smirking as he breathed it in and tugged harder on the motionless door.

“Child locks Drake. Keeps children from doing what you don’t want them too.”

“Slade.”

“We agreed that you would leave alive and undiscovered.”

“And that the information would get to Batman.”

“Dear Brucie. I did imply that. But I neither said nor implied that _you_ would go with the information.” Slade was still grinning at Tim, one hand grabbing his upper arm. “I told you to write down your information Drake.”

“No…”

“You could try to fight me Drake.” The hand around Tim’s arm moved higher against his neck and dragged him closer to Slade. “But… if any of your family came out to help I would kill them. Even if it is Grayson.”

“You promised the information would get to them.” Tim whispered, god it hurt to speak around his lip. _Not my family no_.

“I told you to have it ready.” Slade shrugged, “Email them.”

“No!” Tim shuddered as fingers traced his torn lip, the manor was _right there_ he could run…

“Drake. You’re coming with me, broken or whole, think about what gives you the better chance to try and get away?”

 

 


	2. Replaced and Forgotten

Tim limped carefully to the door, one shattered ankle was enough thank you, listening for the normal sounds of Slade returning. After a few months he had a schedule; Slade would be gone by the time he woke up and, depending on the day, he’d either be back for lunch or for early dinner, before leaving again.

Tim supposed it must be handy not needing sleep.

After all he was still drugged five out of seven days. Slade never would trust that he got enough sleep on his own. But that’s what happened when you lived with a mercenary.

“Drake.” Slade looked smug as always with the mask being pulled off his face as he opened the door. “You seem to be walking better.”

Tim frowned and stayed silent. His eyes were fixed on the bag Slade was carrying, that was never a good sign it always meant they were moving on or that Slade had just gotten a big job that would set him on edge.

“Cat got your tongue?” Slade dropped the bag, one hand reaching out to grab Tim’s shoulder and steer him back to the computer desk. “Have you checked the Gotham news today?”

“No,” Tim’s voice was hoarse from lack of use, Slade never did have much use for Tim talking, and well neither did Tim.

“Oh then this will be a surprise.” The mercenary assassin was grinning as he forced Tim to sit down. “Go to the Gotham news.”

Tim swallowed harshly, his family was a sore spot, had been since he’d left them behind. Or had they left him behind? They had certainly never come for him even with his early attempts to contact them.

“Scroll down, ahh there it is.” Slade’s voice purred into Tim’s ear as he squeezed the teen’s shoulder. “I believe that is Robin.”

Tim heart skipped. There was a Robin flying across the front page picture, looking so small, and _they replaced me_.

“Well Drake, how does that make you feel?” Slade laughed low and deep in his throat, hand patting Tim’s cheek as he went white, and scrolling the page when Tim’s fingers stopped moving.

“I…” Tim swallowed trying to keep from letting out the sudden tears and sobs tearing at his chest. “Who is he?”

“His name is Damian Wayne.” Slade turned the chair around so that Tim’s blank face was looking at him. “Apparently Wayne’s real son. On the other note he seems to have given up hope on finding you.”

Tim swallowed again, looking down at his small hands in his lap, not quite understanding why there was water dripping down onto his lap. A new Robin. More tears fell, something twisting in his chest and breaking, just lost. No wonder Jason hated him so much.

Slade ruffled his hair once before walking away. Leaving Tim to his silent tears.


	3. Still Wanted, Just not by You

Damian had seen the homeless teen for the past five nights now. Each night he’d be on a different roof watching, Damian couldn’t imagine the creature watching for him or any of the others, but enough was enough and this was the night he would interrogate the thing.

Then it had the nerve to ignore him when he landed on the roof! Damian sneered at the odd blue and orange covering the homeless thing was wearing, stalking forwards and pulling at it, until he creature turned to him.

He did go silent when the homeless creature turned into a pretty whip thin young man with huge blue eyes staring at him. But hormones would not get in the way of the Mission.

“Who are you? Why have you been watching us?”

The boy cocked his head, eyes roving over Damian’s Robin suit, before a hand pressed against his ear and he silently shook his head. Damian grabbed his wrist, pulling the boy back as he tried to step away.

“Answer me! Why are you here?” Damian frowned as the other man’s hand fell away showing an ear piece. “Who are you working for?”

Damian sneered going to his belt for a knife to show the impertinent creature who exactly he was dealing with. He gasped as the stranger whirled, bringing his foot around to impact into Damian’s chest, sending the young Robin staggering away and using the momentum to flip backwards further away from him in a move similar to something Grayson would do.

Crashing into the roof wall, Damian fell back watching as the stranger stood still and then turned around and started walking to the other side of the roof.

“Stop!” Damian panted, getting to his feet and racing forwards, the other looking back over his shoulder before waving a line-launcher and dropping out of sight. Damian made it to the edge in time to see the dark clad stranger vanish into Gotham’s shadows.

~~~~

“There was someone else there.” Damian protested as Dick glared and sat him down in front of the computer. “I was not playing ‘hooky’.”

“Dami, no one else has seen your mysterious watcher in the night.” Dick pulled up the other chair. “It’s not that I don’t believe you per say, I just need to be sure.”

“You are all blind! He makes no move to hide himself and he fights like you!”

“Really? How?” Dick frowned, placing his chin in his hands as he watched Damian.

“Tt.” Damian glanced down, not wanting to remember losing such a pathetic individual. “He cheated, using my own momentum against me and flipping away like a coward.”

“Flipping?” Dick looked up startled. “Did you get a good look at him? Was he really small and moved quickly? What did he look like?”

“Grayson!” Damian glared. “One question at a time. It was dark. I did see blue eyes, dark hair, and pale. A tiny cheater in the face of my superior skills. And I told you he moved like you; he kicked me in the chest and used the kick to flip back and away from me. Then he disappeared using a line-launcher.”

Dick had gone pale, hands wringing at his costume, fingers bloodless and numb.

“Did he say anything? Anything at all, this is important Damian!”

“No.” Damian sneered and looked at the computer. “He had a covering, orange and dark blue, and he remained silent. I can hardly imagine how such a creature could at all be important.”

“Oh my god.” Dick looked like his world had broken around him. “Bruce you… Damian go upstairs.”

“What? No!”

“Damian go! I need to talk to Bruce alone.”

“Here’s not back yet and I refuse to be treated like a child!”

“I am back.”

Both younger vigilantes spun in attack mode to see the Batman strolling out of the darker shadows of the cave. Cape fluttering around him like a funeral shroud and refusing to look at Dick.

“You knew.” Dick hissed standing up, something about the way Bruce was standing the way he wouldn’t meet Dick’s eyes, and took a threatening step forwards.

“All along you knew where he was didn’t you!” Dick’s hands were fisted and Damian was shocked to see blood bubble up around his fingernails. “Someone that could keep Tim; use him while keeping him fit, someone who uses orange and dark blue, and someone you contacted about Tim just before you stopped looking!”

Damian was watching in shocked silence as Dick stood in front of his father and screamed. His older brother had never gotten this mad where Damian could hear the fights. And this- Dick was swinging his fists attacking Batman, trying to hurt him, and Bruce was lunging forwards pinning Dick under his heavier body.

“Dick stand down!” Bruce commanded, one hand going around Dick’s neck and trying to keep him pinned as the other wriggled and swore. “That’s an order!”

“No fucking way! You had to know! It’s only been eight months! And you gave up after one!” Dick screamed harder and bit at the gauntlets. “ _You left Tim with Slade_!”

“We came to an agreement, Slade would fight against any of us, and Tim didn’t fight to come back here anyway!” Bruce was doing his quiet angry voice. The superior one that says everything I’ve done is for the best and you have no way to change my mind. “He could have come back the first night and he didn’t.”

“Because Slade wouldn’t have let him! Bruce I showed you that email Tim sent! You knew he was asking for help!”

“We had no proof that email was actually sent by Tim. There was never a second email.”

“Bruce you fucking bastard you sold him!” Dick managed to flip Bruce off and get to his knees. “You fucking sold him and he was here watching us!”

“What?”

“Oh you didn’t know that?” Dick spat, one hand flying behind to point at Damian. “Damian’s been seeing him on the roofs. Watching us.”

“What?!” Bruce looked pissed behind the Batman mask, striding forwards to the mainframe and going to the street cams. “Slade is here? He swore he wouldn’t set foot in Gotham.”

“Is that all that matters to you?” Dick wiped at his eyes. “You really didn’t care about Tim.” Dick gave Bruce’s back a long, sad look, before waving at Damian. “Come on Dami we’d better leave the Batman to his important work.”

~~~~

“Did you satisfy your curiosity?” Slade was grinning up at the young man limping into his current base of operations. “You look tired tonight.”

“He saw me,” Tim bit out, one hand rubbing at his throat, and went to sit next to Slade’s feet. Tim still couldn’t walk on his ankle for long, not with the way Slade broke it and kept breaking it to keep Tim from moving much, and meeting the new Robin… Tim blinked back the feeling of tears. He didn’t cry anymore and being replaced wouldn’t drive him to that.

“I warned you.” Slade’s large fingers carded through Tim’s hair, petting the boy, before pulling his head back to look up at Slade. “Are you going to try again tomorrow?”

“No.” Tim coughed, “Wayne will hear about and just get mad.”

“I thought you didn’t believe me.”

Tim shrugged his shoulders, trying to rest his broken voice, and curled around the large thighs and legs.

“That’s not an answer Drake.” More fingers through the young man’s hair

Another shrug, Tim ducked his head just in case those tears tried to make an entrance, and wrapped his arms around Slade’s legs.

“Know better now.” Tim finally answered, cheek pressed tight against hard muscle hiding the few tears that may have made it past tightly shut eyes, and just held on.

“Good. Ignore the Bats we’re leaving tomorrow.” The hand continued petting Tim. “I believe it’s time to start training you.”


	4. Nobody, I'm Nobody

Damian had never expected to see the blue eyed boy again. Not after Grayson had torn apart Gotham looking for him and never finding a trace.

From the way both Grayson and Father had spoken, the idea that Damian had met this ‘Tim’ in the first place was unthinkable. Or at least not at all likely. And they _still_ wouldn’t explain to him who this boy was. This interloper that made Grayson leave.

The only information he got at all was from Todd of all people. And he had only laughed and said ‘Tim’ was just a filler Robin.

None of this explained the acrobatics he was watching now.

None of it could explain the cloud of orange and dark blue whipping around the gang with two short curved scimitars. Damian could barely track the man’s movements, whirling through the air to avoid attacks, and slamming down with the paired swords.

The blood was everywhere, dripping from the ceiling, before he seemed to pause and take notice of his surroundings. Everything in the room apart from Damian and Blue eyes was dead; even a rat had been cut in half. Blue eyes put the swords away, attaching them to holders on his back, before taking a few steps towards Damian and stopping.

“You again.” Damian knew it was the boy from close to a year ago. Just from the way he moved and those bright blue eyes. “Are you going to let me loose yet?”

Blue eyes gleamed in the dark, assessing the hog tied Robin, before shrugging and leaving.

“Hey stop!” Damian struggled against the wall, the metal bonds hurt, glaring at the vanishing stranger. “I demand you come back and untie me!”

Too late.

~~~

When Tim had first disappeared Dick had gone a little crazy, he was so scared that someone had killed his second little brother and he couldn’t handle it, and then to find out that Bruce knew… Maybe he didn’t know immediately but he found out and…never _bothered_ to tell Dick. The fight in the cave was the last time Dick had spoken to him.

He’d tried so hard to find him after Damian mentioned seeing him and there was just nothing. He couldn’t even find _Slade_ and that was a first. Ever since the first time Slade had asked Dick to be his apprentice Slade had always left some weird way to contact him if Dick wanted to.

In hindsight that should have been the largest clue to what happened to Tim. Dick had tried to contact the mercenary in hopes of getting help finding his little brother… ironic wasn’t it.

And now Dick’s little brother had been taken as Slade’s apprentice. Was being trained, _changed_ , as a killer.

Maybe that was why Dick fell off a roof the first time he saw the slim, _fast_ , form in Slade’s colors wielding two swords. Luckily he landed on a fire escape.

Unluckily that garnered the attention of the spinning death.

Dick got one look at wide, startled, blue eyes before he was gone, sprinting across buildings and disappearing into shadows before Dick could twitch.

“Wait! Tim!” Dick felt a tear slide slowly, centimeter by centimeter, down his cheek.

“Tim please… wait for me.”

~~~

Jason never expected to see the Pretender again. Never. He hadn’t been all that broken up about the kid disappearing. Figured the stress of the life had gotten to him. Even when the Demon brat had been asking about him, claiming to have seen him, Jason just laughed it off.

Now he thought maybe he should have given a damn when Dickie bird tried to talk to him about the Replacement.

At least he could have gotten some fucking warning about this crap.

The whole fucking warehouse was covered in blood. Sure he’d been there to kill the same people, _child fucking dead meat is what they were_ , but now there was this kid with swords walking away from him and he looked suspiciously like the Pretender.

“Hey Replacement.” The cock of Jason’s gun was loud, and it did make the shadow paused. As it should.

“What the fuck are you doing killing off my prey?”

Jason’s voice might have sounded easy going but his gun was following every twitch the pretender was making at his voice.

“…not.”

Jason was startled at Drake’s voice. It was wrecked.

“Not? Not fucking what?” Jason sneered as the teenager jump back more, trying to slide into the thicker shadows, a quick gunshot grazing his arm kept him still again.

“Replacement.”

“No. You’re fucking nothing now aren’t you.”

Yeah okay he was startled at the sudden slump. The Pretenders whole body seemed to sink in on itself and Jason could see the big blues eyes the face mask didn’t hide… start filling.

Then he was gone and for the first time Jason cared about his replacement.

~~~

Cass also saw the tiny assassin, taking out a corrupt politician and his mistress, but she was the only one to get close. She didn’t interfere, no matter how much her Bat taught morals said she needed to, and simply waited for her little brother on the roof.

Maybe that was why he didn’t run as soon as he saw her, or maybe it was because she stayed on her edge of the roof and made no move to get closer, but he did hesitate and sit a few feet away from her. High strung, ready for any movement as a sign to flee, waiting for pain.

Looking down at her hands folded in her laps, Cass thought she might cry, her little brother wasn’t going to escape. Wasn’t going to come close and give her a hug like in the past. Wasn’t going to come home. _Little brother.._. _please._

“Miss you.”

One of the swords flashed as he twitched. Her voice was startling, making her duck her head, before Cass carefully held up both empty hands. Move slowly can’t make him run. _Broken, little brother broken, in pain and so empty_.

“Still…love you.”

That was all it took. Cass watched in silence, _so sad no little brother no_ , as he vanished slipping over the edge of the roof.

She knew that would be the last time.

~~~

“Four bats in two weeks.” Slade’s grip on his apprentice’s neck tightened, pulling the slim frame back against his chest, leaning down to breathe the words into the boy’s ear.

“You must really enjoy getting punished.”

Tim shrugged and didn’t fight the punishing hands roaming his body. After all this time he wished he could say that his ex family meant nothing to him…

But Slade could smell his lies.

“Get on the bed. Strip.”


	5. Always Wanted By Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apprentice verse for Lectorel my favored writing buddy <3 it’s kinda happy… little bit.

 

Cass stood in the shadows, she was good at that, and watched as her little brother took the beating in semi silence. Each fist that connected to the thin body, the fleshy smack of noise, sending him backwards made her want to flinch. Each flick of the long katana slicing through skin, startled screams choked off before they could start, made her wish to scream.

And all through it Tim stayed silent. _So quiet not like little brother_. Getting back to his feet after each blow and ignoring the blood sliding down his limbs. _Fight please_. Tim looked awful, only wearing tight pants with a bare chest and feet, and she couldn’t count all the colored bruises that she could see on the uncovered skin. Slade was so very large next to him in his uniform sans the mask.

The warehouse they were in was huge. Cass could almost imagine they were only here to practice harder in someplace that it wouldn’t matter if it didn’t stay standing. Her eyes flicked up to the rafters and their hidden secrets and sighed.

Purposefully loud. Almost as loud as her normal speaking voice.

Slade paused and half turned towards the shadows at the sudden sound, one hand dragging Tim back against his chest, as his single eye glared into the shadows Cass had taken over.

“Looks we’ve got some company Drake.”

Tim looked up dully, eyes searching the shadows automatically for whatever Slade was speaking about, freezing as Cass stepped slowly out of the shadows in her Blackbat costume, hood pulled off to show her blank face.

“Well, well.” Slade stabbed his katana down between Tim’s legs, hand tightening around Tim’s neck. “You’re family’s come for a visit Drake.”

Cass stayed still, not showing the flinch of anger, watching silently as the katana was left sunk into the floor and the knife coming into play. She met Tim’s bright, worried, blue eyes and smiled sadly. Tried to anyway.

“Cassandra Cain isn’t it?” Slade dragged the knife up Tim’s bared chest. “Daughter of some very famous assassins. Now what are you doing here?”

Taking another slow step forwards as Tim was pushed to his knees and the knife cut shortly into the skin at his neck. _Stay strong little brother_. She brought her hands around, showing off the short staffs she held in both hands, and watched for the Slade’s signs.

“Don’t,” Tim tilted his head back, long line of his throat bleeding at the knife blade, and stared up at Slade’s face. “Please.”

Cass’s grip tightened imperceptibly as Slade’s knife answered for him. The knife turning and cutting across Tim’s throat hard enough for the blood to start dripping out. Making her little brother whimper. _Not allowed_.

“Shut up Drake.” Slade leaned forwards, looming over Tim, and smirking as more blood spilled against his knife. Cass could see him sniff the air, breathing in the coppery scent, and grinning as Cass made another tiny aborted movement.

“Let him go.” Cass spoke slowly, like always, but she’d practiced these words. Over and over again as she planned, _this was important_ , and Cass wouldn’t be misunderstood. Not now. “Or else.”

“Or else?” Slade snorted, pulling the knife away from Tim’s neck so he could lift up one of the bird thin arms. Cass flinched again as Tim was pulled back up by the arm, Slade rubbing the delicate hand against his cheek before gripping the wrist, the sudden twist and bone splintering crunch of the wrist bones.

Blood drained from Tim’s face, keeping his eyes fixed on Cass, biting through his lip as his broken wrist was wrenched again, grinding the small bones together. Cracks filling the air as more of the bones splintered under Slade’s grip.

Cass twisted back, throwing her whole body spinning forwards, as she threw her shuriken, grinning like her brothers as it sunk deep into Slade’s shoulder, above Tim’s stiff form. The grin faded to blankness as Slade started laughing, one hand ripping the shuriken away tossing it aside, as he smirked.

“Can you do better than that?”

Tim was tossed aside, Slade rushing forwards to meet Cass, deadly blade whipping along beside him. Cass was twisting, gauntlets, staffs both catching the blade and throwing it off. Tim could only watch the deadly dance as the two forms twisted and broke apart. Each movement sending a jagged spike of fear through his chest.

Some of Cass’s hits were connecting, Tim could see blood flying in some places, but it wasn’t holding Slade back at all. Each hit Cass landed let Slade hit back in return, sending Cass sprawling backwards as one fist glanced off her chin.

Slade struck, stabbing the katana forwards through the heavy armor like it was paper, grinning in satisfaction as Cass was pinned to floor from the force. Watching as the female vigilante struggled and pulled at the blade.

“No!”

The hoarse, painful sounding, scream jerked Cass’s attention up, watching as Tim raced forwards, flipping into the attack both feet kicking into Slade’s chest. Flipping back to avoid Slade’s first swinging fist before dodging the backswing and attacking with fists flying.

Slade was shoved aside, pulling the blade from Cass’s side with a wet woosh as he was pushed away, fists punching against his sides and arms where Cass’s hits had already left bruises. Tim was grabbing onto the free arm and biting as Slade caught his balance and shook him. Tim stabbed his fingers at Slade’s face, trying to rip out the eye, falling back as the Slade’s fist and the katana struck his head.

Tim fell, muscles turning to jelly as his ears rang, Slade grabbing his neck and tossing him backwards. Tim hit the far wall and slid down as Slade twisted to avoid another attack from Cass.

“You fight. Me!” Cass screamed as she stabbed a boot dagger into Slade’s hip, twisting it and trying to drag it sideways and through sensitive organs.

“Keep up.” Slade grabbed her wrist, bending it around, and sneering as Cass followed the movement, flipping over Slade’s arm, and tearing her wrist free before Slade could break it.

She back off, flipping much like Tim had, retrieving her staffs as the knife was left behind in Slade’s side. Cass rushed forward again, sliding the last feet and kicking Slade’s feet out, jumping on top the assassin and raining blows down on his head until he kicked up she went flying over his head.

Slade was getting to his feet as Cass rolled further away, twisting back into attack mode, trying to ignore the tearing feeling in her side. Switching her stance to defensive as Slade moved forwards, blurring as he dashed forwards, hands flying up in protection.

“You really think you can finish me?” Slade swung the katana, splitting one of the staffs in two and scraping over her gauntleted hand. Moving forwards, back swinging the sword around, as Cass flipped backwards, desperately trying to avoid the slicing metal.

“Will not.” Cass lunged to the side, diving into a roll, as the sword passed over her head cutting through hair. Rolling into a crouch as she met his glare

“Oh?” Slade took a step back, frowning suspiciously as Cass dropped the broken staff to her side, half glaring at Tim’s huddled for against the wall in between them. “You expect Drake to kill me?

“No.” Cass gasped slightly, hand probing at her side where Slade had stabbed through her suit, and grinned up at him.

“Am distraction.”

Slade’s glare dropped as Cass lifted a bloody gloved hand to point up at the rafters above her. His single eye followed her hand up, quickly spotting the crouched male waving a careless hand, before hefting a large shadow. Pupil shrinking as Slade realized it was a rocket launcher being cocked and aimed.

Cass dove forwards, passing Slade as the rocket shot towards him, letting the explosion shove her closer to the wall where Tim was lying. Ignoring the screams and burning against her back, only half hearing the Red Hood drop to the floor and strafing Slade with his machine guns, not caring as her partner swore and fought the burning assassin.

Tim was still limp against the wall as she pulled him up, Cass spun around at the angry shriek, surprised to see Slade still standing _on fire_ as Jason punched and shot. The whirling katana clipped Jason’s arm, bouncing off the heavy Kevlar, but sending Jason twisting away as the hits kept coming harder and his machine gun in the other direction.

The katana, bloodstained and reflecting the towering flames, spun again clanging off the helmet and barely missing the exposed neck. Jason swore and dropped to the floor, rolling through the flames trailing Slade, and rolling onto his back as he pulled the machine gun up.

The body jerked with each of the fired bullets impacting into the burning flesh. Slade kept stalking forwards; using the Katana to stay upright, as Jason crawled backwards still shooting.

Cass couldn’t make out the words being screamed as the two men fought; it didn’t matter as she pulled Tim over her shoulder and ran forwards, the last staff connecting with Slade’s wide back as she twisted around and kicked.

Giving Jason time to roll away and jump to his feet, bowling forwards into Slade and knocking the huge mercenary off his feet into another patch of the spreading fire, brass covered fists punching into Slade’s face. Cass joined the fight, half jumping to bring her foot down on the katana hand, pressing harder as she felt the bones break under her weight, kicking to katana away.  

One leg kicked out, knocking both Cass and her precious cargo to the floor, Slade hitting back at Jason’s face. Even the broken hand was crashing against Jason and Cass, whatever was close enough to try and destroy, pushing up against Jason’s weight.

“Fucking die already!”

Jason was knocked backwards, tumbling into Cass, as Slade sat up, blood pouring from his wounds, angry burned skin peeling away from his face. Cass grabbed at his leg, trying to keep Slade from getting all the way up, stuck under Jason’s body she couldn’t do anything else, not with all her weapons knocked away.

Cass gasped from under Jason’s weight as hot blood splashed across her face.

The katana was sticking through the center of Slade’s chest. Forcing the assassin backwards against the floor as he gasped, more blood flying, one hand tugging at the blade. She kept watching in shock, not feeling Jason crawl off of her, as the blade was dragged out and stabbed down again and again.

Tim was crying, crying out weakly as he fell to his knees, just kept forcing the blade through Slade’s chest. Collapsing over the bloody chest as Slade finally stilled, the warehouse still burning around them, and Tim just kept sobbing.

Cass moved first after Jason had gotten off her, inching forwards and wrapping her arms around Tim’s body, just holding him as her little brother started rocking back and forwards. The hoarse broken voice trying to scream as his voice trailed off into soft whimpers and wails.

One hand briefly touched Cass’s head before brushing at Tim’s long hair. Cass looked up, staring at Jason over Tim’s head, before she pulled him back away from the still breathing assassin. Jason glanced at them, unreadable behind the red helmet, and yanked the blade out of Slade’s chest. The blade was hefted and considered, blood flashing in the spreading fire light, before the helmet looked down at the twitching body.

“You don’t get to fuck our Tim over and get away with it. Not now, not ever.”

The katana swung down with a crunch. Slicing through flesh and muscle, catching in the vertebral bones, and sticking as it was caught. Jason pulled the blade back and hacked at the neck until the bones were separated and the head was rolling away.

Cass hid Tim’s head against her chest, keeping him from watching, as Jason kicked the head away from the body. The two older vigilantes watching as Slade’s head flew backwards landing in flames staring back at them with the single cold eye until the flames moved higher.

They watched until the head was fully engulfed by the flames before getting up and pulling Tim up away from the corpse. Jason Hoisted Tim up in his arms, pulling his little brother over his shoulder, his other arm holding Cass up as she staggered a hand pressed tight against her side.

“It’s okay Baby bird.” Jason spoke softly as Tim kept crying into his back. “We’ve got you.”

“Got you little brother.” Cass agreed as they staggered out of the burning warehouse into the cold night. “Going home.”

“Jay, Cass.” Tim’s voice was shaking and breaking as he whispered their names. “I-“

“Shut up Baby bird.” Jason’s voice was gruff as he kept them moving. “It can wait.”

“Get better.” Cass sighed and pressed a hand against her brothers. “Love you.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the anon who asked: You gotta continue the Apprentice!verse. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ‘Always Wanted’ ???? I GOTTA KNOW OR THE SUSPENSE SHALL RENDER MY LOINS AS THE SAHARA DESERT AND I’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO MOTHER CHILDREN!!!

It wasn't easy. Not by a long shot. That hurt to discover. Just because they had their brother back didn't mean it was _Tim_ they had back. Tim was still there alright, he was just sharing head space with whatever the insane assassin filled it with and a very bad fucking case of PTSD.  
  
Slade had done a fantastic job of breaking Timothy Drake's psyche to pieces. What was left still looked like what Tim would, just older, with too wide eyes that never quite calmed down and the red marks on his wrists were always present after constant twisting of his shirt sleeves. The words weren't right either, it was hard getting the scared stray to talk to anyone, and when the young man did talk it was almost always in quiet one word answers. Gone were the rambling paragraphs when he was excited about a subject or the rambling that occasionally accompanied his nervousness. And he never used large words anymore.   
  
He was also deadly. Cass and Jason had both seen the young man in action with the dual blades. It was beautiful and frightening the amount of carnage and death he could cause in mere minutes. Slade had taught him well. Tim with a blade was like watching professionals dancers; something so completely lost in action that you just had to stop and stare.  
  
And he was scared. Each casual touch had him jumping and attacking with whatever he could get a hold of. Tim was deadly with a cucumber. After getting a black eye thanks to mad ninja vegetable skills, Jason had backed off. Just watching in the background as Cass kept gently touching and talking to Tim, just being there for him and grounding the young boy Jason thought, until Tim broke down.  
  
Jason really wanted nothing to do with him then. Not during the hours of crying. Cass still had snot dripping down her back as Tim continued sobbing. It was the loudest sound he'd made since they killed Slade. Hoarse sobbing echoing through the loft apartment as Cass tried to hum around the noise.   
  
Cass couldn't hum to save her life but Jason would never tell her as long as it worked to calm Tim down.   
  
That's how they ended up on the futon after another few hours of the crying. But Tim’s face was only red and splotchy now; no sight of the snot coming back, and Cass had ceased making noise that could deafen the unwary. With Jason lying lengthwise down the cushions and holding both Tim and Cass against his chest. But it was progress and that still sucked balls.

He kept one arm wrapped protectively around his precious people, fingers moving in comforting circles on tense muscles, the other taking turns running through dark hair. Cass and Tim both had the same silky soft dark hair and looking down at their profiles he could mistake them for blood siblings.

“Ja-ay?” Tim’s voice still broke on the short version of Jason’s name, and he flinched when calloused fingers poked at his cheek and Jason raised his eyebrows.

“What Baby?”

Cass twisted, just enough so that both skinnier vigilantes were resting side by side on Jason’s thicker chest, wrapping one of her arms around Tim’s waist and watching both men with heavy eyes. Her eyes reflected most of the light, which was creepy, but there was nothing but love in her face as she watched them.

“Can we leave?”

Cass made a questioning noise in the back of her throat as she pressed her face against Tim’s after the question. A moment of questioning and confirming noises, much to Jason’s amusement. Then there were black and blue eyes staring up at Jason in nervousness and excitement.

“Where to?” Jason asked, they were getting kind of heavy on his chest. That possibly might have been the concealed weapons. There were something’s digging into his body that he wasn’t happy to think about. Not without a layer of Kevlar between him and those weapons.

At least Tim’s twin blades were still locked up. Neither Cass or Jason had been all that happy about the hair trim.

“Leave Gotham.” Cass shrugged awkwardly as she nudged Tim. “Take over world. Be happy.”

“Seriously?” Jason’s head lifted incredulously as he eyed his ‘siblings’. _Weren’t they supposed to be the good ones?_. “Tim?”

“Don’t want to stay here.” Tim whimpered, looking scared until Cass kissed his cheek in comfort with more of the terrible humming, voice still hoarse and cracking as he caught his breath and continued whispering. “Hate Gotham. Don’t want to stay still anymore.”

“Okay.” Jason drawled slowly as he looked back and forth between his two partners in crime. Cass was still humming as Tim watched him with teary eyes. “So not ‘staying still’ translates to world domination plotting these days?”

Cass grinned slowly while Tim blushed a little bit, both pressing closer against Jason’s chest as he grunted, hands gripping his shirt tightly. Pretty soon Jason really was going to have issues breathing if they kept this up.

“We don’t have to take over anything.” Tim muttered as his fingers kneaded Jason’s chest along with Cass’s. “Just leave.”

“But fun.” Cass insisted, she crawled forwards to give soft kitty kisses to both her brothers noses, and gave Jason her brightest smile. “Need to do fun things.”

“Yeah. That could be fun. Fucking pain in the ass I bet, but fun.” _Was he the only one not insane here?_ “That really what you want? The ‘good guys’ always win.”

Cass and Tim exchanged a few more looks. They were getting really fucking good at the no talking while conversing thing. Jason was going to be in so much trouble once Tim figured out how to prank people again.

Both nodded as they gave Jason the puppy dog eyes.

“Win till now. But would be, _we,_ would be together.” Cass said very carefully as she wound her arms around the other two. “We rule world, no one takes us away.”

Oh. _Oh_. That…made a lot of sense. And the supers deserved having their assess handed to them.

“Yeah ok. We could rule the world better than anyone else. But I wanna finish our nap first.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old friend appears and world domination commences

“We are prepared to accept your surrender.” Cass was actually speaking. She was getting much better at it since Tim shied away from strangers. Or anyone that wasn’t Cass and Jason.

And Jason was just going to sit back and watch this train wreck. He wasn’t going to be the chump figure head of this whole ‘take over the world’ plan. _Oh no. Puppy dog eyes don’t work that fucking well_. Bodyguard suited him just fine. And it was really scary that he was the sane one here.

But Jason was starting to get used to that.

At least they were being almost subtle. Subtle for people Dick had trained in subtly.

Which is why he was watching for when he _might_ jump in to help.

Cass was being very careful, she was turning out to be good at being in charge, which was a relief to Jason. He did not want to be ruler of the world, he’d be perfectly happy being Cass and Tim’s sex slave or whatever they needed. Manhattan was a big city, and it was separated thanks the huge body of water, so Jason had grabbed a few more friends along to help with the takeover process.

"You know I'm pretty sure this isn't in the job description." Roy drawled. The arrows were kept pointed at head height as they watched Cass and her shadow leaning over the politicians. For someone against taking over Manhattan, by force or bribery, Roy wasn’t all that hard to convince to help. “Pretty sure this is the kinda thing the Justice League fights.”

"Sure." Jason shrugged as he glared at the cowering politicians. "But I'm not going to fucking stop them. Look at how happy they are.”

Roy cocked his head, Cass was pointing out things on the piece of paper Tim had supplied her with, while Tim held his two swords at the ready.

“That’s happy?”

“If they weren’t in public they’d be jumping for joy and cackling.” Jason snorted as one of the sitting men turned purple and waved a finger. Roy’s eyebrows jumped behind his mask as one sword swept out and sliced through the pointing finger, generating screams of bloody murder as the man staggered away. “They’re a little insane these days.”

“Ahh.” Roy squinted as Tim lunged forward with the sword held against the screamers throat while Cass stiffened and whacked her little brother’s head.

“No! Bad kitten!” _Since when does Cass call Tim Kitten?_ “We are still talking.”

“It happens.” Roy nodded as Tim backed off and the rest of the politicians were nodding heavily to Cass’s demands. Something about banks and water supplies that had probably been drafted by Tim.

 Where did Kory go?" Jason asked as Cass dropped the piece of paper in front of the still sitting, and heavily sweating, men. Tim’s still moaning victim, now down a finger, was still cowering on the floor.

“She said we needed food to celebrate our ‘new endeavor’.” Roy was still drawling as he loosened the arrow, dropping the bow a few notches away from shoot and kill in seconds.

“What’s she getting?”  In front of them Cass had both her hands on her hips, not a normal pose for her but it made her look adorable with that almost pout.

“Pizza I think.” Both of Tim’s swords had gone back up, trying to make himself look larger, looming behind Cass. He made a very good shadow.

“Mmm.” Jason’s stomach rumbled. Pizza sounded perfect. “Oh wait. This looks interesting.”

Both ex-vigilantes, mostly ex now that they weren’t exactly doing ‘good’ things, put their full attention back on the important players of the moment. The main story if you would. Listening as Cass spoke with Tim’s harshly hoarse voice adding words where she needed them.

“Will protect you.” Cass motioned briefly with her hands, something Dick did a lot when he was really excited by something, as she pushed the paper closer.

Tim’s eyes narrowed as the Mayor of New York frowned.

“Sign and we own Manhattan. Will protect all subjects and island.”

“A trial period.” Tim explained shortly, broken voice sending a few shudders through the watchers, stiffening as attention turned to him. “We will show you our rule will be better and more profitable.”

Tim’s voice abruptly cut off, reminder Jason sadly of the first days they had him back when the youngest would start to talk and then bight down so quickly they had to put stitches in his tongue.

“Then we take over New York.”

The men at the table tried looking at Tim for a better explanation to his and Cass’s words, hard to do as they all refused to meet his gaze in risk of being the next one to feel his sword, but there was still a general glancing at Tim’s hands in confusion. But seeing as how this was the new and not so improved Tim… they would be waiting for a while.

Jason twitched as one of Roy’s arrows jabbed into his side. No damn it, he was just the muscle, he had nothing to do with this. Another jab, harder and more _pointed_ , along with a glare from the archer.

“Look you idiots.” Jason stalked forwards, leather gloved hands slamming down on the table between Cass and Tim, leaning over the table and watching in cold amusement as the politicians leaned back in fear. “They explained it. Either you back down and let us take over New York while you enjoy the benefits, starting with this fucking island, or we’re going to kill you and take over anyway. We’ll protect you from anything, rampaging lizards to alien invaders, all we want is your agreement.”

Silence stretched and strengthened as the gathered politicians looked both understanding and suddenly very terrified.

“Sums up well.” Cass agreed happily. “Now sign please.”

More hesitation had Roy’s arrows going up and tensing as his arm drew back to full draw. Tim’s swords were pressing closer to old sagging flesh as his body went still and waited for signal. Cass had two short staves out with studded metal spikes shining as she leaned forwards with teeth bared in a rictus grin. And Jason topped the tableau with a gun in each hand shoved up into gaping mouths.

“See?” Jason was grinning as he felt his family’s comforting weight around him. “Die now or live and profit. Really fucking easy choice.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Ahem, young Lady?”

The paper was pushed another inch forwards with the tip of a deadly stave and Cass grinned wider and truly happy as the mayor started signing.

“Happy an-ni-ver-sary.” The word was said very carefully piece by piece as Cass patted Tim’s wrist. “Is island. And less people to worry.”

Tim blinked away a few tears as Jason clenched his jaw and Roy stood at the ready behind them. In a way it did make a certain amount of sense, to the newly insane, and Jason was at least happy that smoothly taking over Manhattan without fatality seemed to cheer up both of his little siblings.

He would have enjoyed it more if he’d gotten to shoot someone.


End file.
